289 Expansion Tank

[Ivygreen65]

I'm beginning the restoration / modification of my Lincoln expansion tank. As everyone knows, it's not a bolt on piece. I'm assuming that Shelby American sent a blank tank (no inlets or outlets) to their subcontractor who built the tank to their specification. So, I'm going to try to replicate that tank and bracket.

I got the torch and spot weld cutter out and took the Lincoln tank and bracket apart. Below is what I will be using. I'll need to have the neck on the top of the tank rotated 90*, have the outlet on the right side removed and a 5/8" nipple installed, and the hole on the bottom sealed. The part that I'm looking for help on is the bracket. I have some pretty good pictures that show the bracket, but I don't have a good idea on sizes. Does anyone have any key dimensions for the bracket (i.e. overall height, width of top, etc.)? I can ballpark it and get fairly close, but I thought I would check here first to see if anyone had access to an original that may provide some help. I'll post my progress here, assuming there is progress.

[LMH]

It's a little difficult to give you the dimensions as the lower part that attaches to the two tank brackets has a number of angles/offsets in it. However, the basic vertical part is 8.25" from the bend. The horizontal part connecting the two tank brackets basically 3.25" wide.
The three mounting holes you can get from the engine. I don't want to give you more and confuse you though.
Larry

[Mark IV]

Actually Ford had the tanks manufactured for Shelby by McCord who also did the radiators. There was no modifications done, the tanks were built to the design Ford provided.

[Dan Case]

Engine installers did have to make one fitting correction most of the time. Engine installers usually had to cut a notch in the vertical mounting plate to clear a protrusion on the engine block. The typical original plate has its own one of one custom notch cut. Some cuts were pretty and some pretty crude.

In some cases engine installers had to shim the tank bracket away from the left front corner of the intake manifold and or LH valve cover flange. These were cases where part variability stack ups worked for you (no spacers required) or against you (spacers required). My personal examples: CSX2310 didn’t need spacers and CSX2551 did. The spacers Shelby American in Venice CA used were 1962 model year fuel filter bracket spacers for Fords without power steering. SA probably got use to them through the XHP-260 prototype engines and HP260 semi-production engines Ford sent them as fuel filters with spacers were used on the street Cobras with those engines. (Ford did not sell the spacers as a service part through dealers.)

Also note that there were two versions, one of 4V induction system cars and one for 2-4V induction system cars. From my Cobra engine file notes:

McCord style street car production expansion tank and bracket assemblies, yes that is plural. There were at least two, one for single 4V induction system cars and one for dual 4V induction cars. The 2-4V assembly is listed as being completed by “Shelby” and it has a racing part number, which usually means the race shop did the fabrication. From the May 31, 1965 listing:

“S1CR 8079 Header-Tank, Dual Quad W/Bracket Shelby Ea 34.22 23.95”

“S1CS 8080 Surge-Tank, Cobra BM3266 Steel, Single Quad McCord Ford Ea 19.94 13.96”
(It is mystery as to why the word “Steel” is used in the description as the tanks are made brass and just the brackets are made of steel. There were all steel tanks but they were round drum shaped ones the Shelby race shop made to mount over the front springs of new race cars.)

In comparison the S1CR 8079 assembly moved the tank subassembly forward considerably as compared to the S1CS 8080 assembly. As it turns out the S1CR 8079 assembly also works with the Weber induction systems. The S1CR 8079 and S1CS 8080 assemblies both have McCord production tags on them using the same McCord part number. In studying an unrestored intact S1CR 8079 assembly is appears that Shelby’s works had to take pieces from two different steel tank cradle brackets to make a new cradle to hold the tank closer to the front of the car. Evidence indicates that bare metal parts were used to make the final tank and bracket assembly and painting was done last, i.e. it does not appear they took a finished assembly from McCord and reworked it, more like they took a group of pieces and made what they needed to.

[Ivygreen65]

Originally Posted by LMH

It's a little difficult to give you the dimensions as the lower part that attaches to the two tank brackets has a number of angles/offsets in it. However, the basic vertical part is 8.25" from the bend. The horizontal part connecting the two tank brackets basically 3.25" wide.
The three mounting holes you can get from the engine. I don't want to give you more and confuse you though.
Larry

Larry,

That's what I'm looking for. With the pictures that I have saved, I think your dimensions will help me get pretty close. Thank you for your help.

[1985 CCX]

Great work, keep the pictures coming and the info is priceless...

[Ivygreen65]

Another question - what size is the inlet that connects to the radiator line? It looks to be about 5/16" but I would like some verification.

[Mark IV]

I have a pattern for the plate that bolts to the head. We were tooling to repro the tanks but decided against it.

[LMH]

Originally Posted by Ivygreen65

Another question - what size is the inlet that connects to the radiator line? It looks to be about 5/16" but I would like some verification.

Mine measures 5/16" OD on the main body of the tube. The barb is larger of course.
Larry

[Ivygreen65]

I've been traveling for a couple of weeks, so I'm just now getting back to my tank. A big thank you to Rick (Mark IV) for the pattern he had for the bracket bottom. With the other research that I had done, I think I have a fairly close replica of the bracket. Here is the main support and the pieces. The original Lincoln support is a little long and will have to be shortened.

[Ivygreen65]

This is how it turned out after bending and welding. I still need to clean up some edges and welds, but I think it's close to accurate (close enough for me). Any constructive critique would be welcomed.

[Ivygreen65]

And here it is with the unmodified tank in place. My next step is to take the tank to my radiator guy for modification and let him attach it to the bracket.

[LMH]

Exactly what I was going to suggest... take it to someone who really knows the proper way to solder that all together. It's well worth the $.
Larry

[Mark IV]

Notice that the 289 McCord tank does not have an outlet for the radiator hoses but is just an "expansion tank" unlike the Lincoln tank which has the hose outlet for the upper radiator hose.

[Ivygreen65]

Originally Posted by Mark IV

Notice that the 289 McCord tank does not have an outlet for the radiator hoses but is just an "expansion tank" unlike the Lincoln tank which has the hose outlet for the upper radiator hose.

That's the modification work that my radiator guy has to do. I removed the outlet on the bottom so he could seal it. Then, he has to remove the big right side inlet and attach a plate and 5/8" nipple. The collar for the cap has to be removed and turned 90* so the overflow is at the rear. Finally, there is the 5/16" inlet that needs to be attached to the front of the tank. The overall shape of this tank is correct, but there is a lot of work and modification needed to make it look like a Cobra tank.

[LMH]

In case you didn't already know, Nick Acton has the McCord tag that goes on the top.
Larry

[Ivygreen65]

Originally Posted by LMH

In case you didn't already know, Nick Acton has the McCord tag that goes on the top.
Larry

Originally Posted by LMH

In case you didn't already know, Nick Acton has the McCord tag that goes on the top.
Larry

I did know that, but had a couple of questions regarding the tag:

1) Did all tanks receive the tag?
2) Was the tag mounted "flush" on top of the tank or did it sit in an impression. From the pictures that I've seen, it's hard to tell.

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by Ivygreen65

I did know that, but had a couple of questions regarding the tag:

1) Did all tanks receive the tag?
2) Was the tag mounted "flush" on top of the tank or did it sit in an impression. From the pictures that I've seen, it's hard to tell.

Tags were soldered to the tank top and are not in a recess. They sit slightly "proud" of the tank top and tend to have a bit of "wave" on the edges from the solder heat.

Can't say is all tanks got the tag but I would think so as McCord would have marked the part number and date code to provide accountability.

[LMH]

Actually they were spot welded to the tank originally and correct, there was no indentation.
Larry

[Dan Case]

Tags on original tank assemblies have McCord's number for them and a date code. Original production tanks were made and dated between roughly early summer 1963 and late spring 1964. I have not done a survey on dates so I don’t know how late production tanks got dated. Based on engine part orders the works must have rounded up parts to make all the last cars complete between about August and September 1964. Most cars were running before 1965 started.

Some of the last production dated assemblies that I know of have been found as service parts so finding a late tank on an earlier car (maybe a May 1964 tank on an August 1963 car) just means the car got a new tank for some reason in the past. There were also post production service tanks made. I have seen a new old replacement stock (NORS) assembly tank dated in the third quarter of 1966.

One of the people making new assemblies chose for some reason to install tags dated after all Cobra production was over, i.e. they copied a post production service part.

I have noticed two different makers of reproductions using the same date code on their tags.

Dan